The washing machine is one of the most revolutionary labour-saving devices of the 20th century. Since its popularisation just before the First World War, the technology has proven immensely successful, and you’ll now find one in virtually every household in the country.
Modern dishwashers are able to do their work far more efficiently than early models, which is just as well for homeowners looking to save on their utilities. Let’s examine how much we might have to spend to keep our washers going, and what we can do to keep that number down.
Energy Efficiency & Washing Machines
Washing machines, like many other modern appliances, are rated on a lettered scale, with D being the worst and A+++ being the best. If you are buying a new machine today, you’ll find that the available options are typically rated A or above.
These ratings are arrived at based on a cotton cycle at 60°C with the machine’s maximum declared load, and calculated per kilogram of washing. You therefore won’t need to consider how much is being washed, because that’s already been considered for you.
How Many Watts Does A Washing Machine Use?
Letter scales for efficiency might provide a useful means of comparing different machines at a glance, but you’ll need to also pay attention to the energy used, which you’ll find in the item description. Generally speaking an A++ machine will typically use around 1.2 kWh per cycle, while an ‘A’ rated machine will use around 1.5. This averages out to around £67 per year compared to £85. If you do more washing than the average household, then this saving might be a significant one.
How Many Gallons Of Water Does A Washing Machine Use Per Cycle?
Once upon a time, a washing machine could get through as much as 150 litres of water in a single cycle, which is about the same as the average person uses in an entire day. This figure has steadily decreased over the years; the average modern washing machine uses around fifty litres and some cutting edge models have reduced this number down to just six.
How Can I Save Money On My Laundry?
In order to decrease the amount of water and electricity you’re using for your wash, be sure to use a full load every time. You will want to wash at a cooler temperature where possible a wash at 30°C will use significantly less energy than a hotter wash. Special washing powders and detergents are available now which are designed to get the best from cold washes, and so if you find that some stains won’t budge without more heat, consider making the switch to these detergents.
Hold the press!!
But what about the rise in living cots since the pandemic... Good shout, so we decided to update this blog as relevantly as possible.
Pre pandemic it was around 15p per kWh, in today's money that's (on average) 28p. So take the calculations above and multiply them by 1.86.. yes 1.86! But we haven't seen the full extent of the rises yet, so keep an eye peeled on our blog for the latest information.
Washing machines are great and we want you to use and find the best, have a look at our guides to get you going:
How to use a washing machine
Top loader vs front loading washing machines
Washer dryer or separates?
Washing machine labels explained
Which drum size is best for you?
Ultimate buying guide
How much does a washing actually cost?
